AWOIS - Short Description
First of all- if you are a "techie" that wants to download the AWOIS databases, go to the "Official NOAA Document"
What is AWOIS?
The
Automated Wreck and Obstruction Information System (AWOIS) is a NOAA
database used to assist in planning hydrographic survey operations and to
catalog and store a substantial volume of reported wrecks and obstructions that
are considered navigational hazards within U.S. coastal waters. Today,
over 10,000 reports have been received, which include unverified accounts of
vessel casualties, as well as chronological history. As part of the hydrographic
survey planning process, these records are reviewed and those wrecks or
obstructions which require additional field investigation are assigned to
specific field units. The results of these investigations eventually become part
of the AWOIS file so that a permanent record of a wreck or obstruction is always
available.
Besides functioning as a survey planning tool, AWOIS is of potential value to
various users outside of NOS. The historical record of selected wrecks, the
accessibility of information in a sorted format, and its reasonable cost make
AWOIS an important information source for marine archaeologists and historians,
fishermen, divers, salvage operators, and others in the marine community.
Interested individuals are encouraged to use the system as a supplement to other
sources of information. However, AWOIS has limitations that should be
considered by potential users. Most notably, it is not a comprehensive record of
wrecks in any particular area. Historical research is constantly being conducted
to improve the quality of the file, but it will never completely address every
known or reported wreck. The emphasis is constantly placed on wrecks which may
be a hazard to navigation.
How to Get More Information about an AWOIS Wreck
Look at the Notes & Comments column of the GPS List ,
all you really need is to remember the chart #
Click on the following link and key in the Wreck name and Chart Number, the
AWOIS detail will be displayed.